Blog

Learn how to have conversations that get results

Leadership Tips: Hold Each Other Able

In Fierce Accountability, we talk about the difference between holding someone accountable and holding someone able.

Often we talk about accountability in a legislative matter. Something we can impose on others. Many of us associate accountability with blame.

At Fierce, we prefer to view accountability not as a process or a tool, and instead view it as a context that makes every tool and process more effective.

When you hold someone able, you choose to recognize the capacity each person you are connecting with has to achieve the goals you agree upon. It is a bias towards action: an attitude, a personal, private, non-negotiable choice about how to live your life. The reality is, as much as you may want to, you can’t hold someone accountable.

Shifting the mentality away from holding others accountable to holding each other able builds a culture of engagement, trust, and creativity versus disengagement, fear, and disillusionment.

This change in mind-set is not about word-smithing or being clever. It’s about creating a stronger context that empowers yourself and those around you.

In your conversations this week go forward and trust that each person will make the choice to move the relationship and objectives set in the conversation onward.